Tag: Medium Format

Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

TLR hip-shooting

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Or should that be “waist-shooting”?

I was walking around town a while back and, largely out of nowhere, wondered how effective if might be to try using my Yashica Mat 124G with zone-focus. It was a bright day, and I was shooting 400asa film, so I could set the camera to a relatively narrow aperture of f/8 (although, on a 6×6 medium format camera, the depth of field at f/8 at short distances is still pretty shallow).

The Yashica has a handy scale guide on the focus knob, so I set it to around 8 feet and shot a few pictures of passersby, using the focus screen to compose, but not the magnifier. And it worked quite well. If I pixel peep the full size pictures then they’re not perfectly in focus on the main subjects, but they’re certainly within an acceptable level of sharpness.

It’s probably not going to be a technique I use often, but it might be worthwhile at events such as carnivals or similar where there are lots of interesting subjects, but not enough time to finesse the focus for each shot.

TLR zone focus test-2
TLR zone focus test-3

Yashica Mat 124G and Kentmere 400. Ilfotec DD-X 10.5mins @ 20°.

Taken on 25 October 2025

35mm · Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

Twelve favourite photos from 2025 (nope, sorry, it’s eleven again…)

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Another ride around the sun is coming to a close, so that means it’s time again for me to pick a favourite from each month that has passed since I last did this.

Unfortunately, I have nothing to show for November. Not because I didn’t make any pictures that month, but simply because I haven’t developed (or, indeed, finished shooting the roll) them yet. December is chosen from only slightly less slim pickings too. Again, I have pictures, but withe undeveloped or unscanned. The one I chose is nice though – from my first ever bulk-rolled film (a very short roll that I used as a test).

As always, I could easily make different choices for most of the months, although in a few cases Aapril and Jun) I knew which was going to be my choice without much trouble.

I hope everyone else got pictures they liked and that you’ll get more in the year to come. Happy New Year!

January

Through Salt's Mill

Yashica Mat 124G
Kodak Tri-X
Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 8mins @ 20°

February

St. Peters and reflection-2

Nikon F80
Tamron 28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di VC PZD
Ilford HP5+ (@800)
Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 10mins @ 20°

March

Eastbound tracks

Olympus OM-10
Zuiko Auto-S 35mm f/2.8
Agfa APX 100 (@400)
Rodinal 1 hour semi-stand development. 1+100 in 500ml of water, with a couple of extra ml of developer added.

April

Djinn

Yashica Mat 124G
Kodak Tmax 100 (expired 2008)
Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 7mins @ 20°

May

No way out

Olympus OM-10
F.Zuiko 50mm f/1.8
Ilford HP5+
Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°

June

Trio on the rocks

Olympus Trip 35
Kodak Pro Image
Lab developed
Home scanned and converted with Negative Lab Pro

July

At the end

Fujica GW690
Ilford HP5+
Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins

August

From whence I came

Nikon F80
Tamron 28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di VC PZD
Fujifilm Acros. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°

September

Blue hour light

Olympus 35 RC
Fuji Superia 100 (expired 2008)
Lab developed.
Home scanned and converted with Negative Lab Pro.

October

House portrait

Yashica Mat 124G
Kentmere 400
Ilfotec DD-X 1+4. 11.5 mins @ 20°

November

Nothing to see here, move along folks.

I did take some pictures in November, but they’re on a roll of expired Fujichrome Sensia which I’ve not yet finished shooting, so I have none to show yet.

December

Three swans

Minolta X-300
Minolta 50mm f/1.7 MD
Fomapan 400. Rodinal 1+100 semi-stand 1 hour @ 20°

So there goes 2025. Who know’s what 2026 might reveal?

Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

Beach hazard

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Despite the warning sign, the outfall on Mablethorpe beach has always attracted people as long as I can remember. Not only does it have a constant flow of freshwater emptying into the sea, but it forms pools of seawater beside it as the tide recedes in which people will paddle or try to catch sea creatures (mostly small crabs). The pools of water can be a few feet deep sometimes though, and although not steep, the sloping sides of the outfall can be very slippery when the seaweed is wet.

Outfall

Yashica Mat 124G and Fujifilm Pro 400H. Lab developed. Home scanned and converted with Negative Lab Pro.

Taken on 11 October 2025